Packaging machine



March 31. 1925. 1,531,644

J. 6. BROWN PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Joseph CBrown,

March 31,. 1925.

J- c. BROWN PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH C. BROWN, 0']? FITCHBURG. MASSACHUSETTS. ASSIGNOR T0 BAG FILL- ING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

" PACKAGING MACHINE.

Application filed April 16, 1924. Serial No. 706.968.

To all zc/m-m it may concern:

Be 'it know that Josnru C. Bnowx. a citizen of the United States. residing at Fitchburg. in the county of Vvorccstcr and State of Massachusetts. has invented certain acter in bag filling machines and especially relating to means for measuring or counting articles. and adapted to deliver such articles in synchronism with a bag opening device.

It is an important aim to provide apparatus for this purpose which shall be extrcmely simple, so that in its manufacture small expense will be involved, placing it within ready reach of the public at a'reasonable cost; and whereby there will be a minimum liability of derangement or difficulty in adjustment of parts, to the end that shut downs or delay on such account will be infrequent.

It is a specific object to provide in the present embodiment of the invention a machine specially valuable in packaging or sampling spherical articles, especially pills. In this direction it is an aim to present a novel and simply constructed feeding device. It is also apurpose to oifer a novel means for controlling the movement of articles in a channel in the feeding device. A further purpose is to disclose a novel means for adjustment of the machine to vary the count or quantity delivered.

Another purpose is to provide novel construction and mounting in the channelled member and counting and'deliveringunit. It is also sought to embody a novelstructure in the mounting and operative connection of certain of the parts.

It is an important object of the invention to evolve a general service machine con- {fvertible at will from a nail packaging device to a pill sampling machine, or to a seed packaging apparatus, without disturbing thema or parts of the machine, but requiring only the removal of a main assembly bolt and the removal of one measuring and delivering unit and its replacement by another of entirely different principle and construction, but adapted to be actuated by the same rcnm-ining elements of the machine to measure or count, and dellver, the required predetermined quantities of the various artlcles to be packaged, in synchrony with the charge guiding, bag holding, and other essentials to complete the functions desired.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention are'i'nvolved in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which, I

Figure 1 -1s a perspective view of the measuring and delivering unit.

Figure 2 is an elevation thereof from the right of Figure 1. 4

Figure 3 is a similar view from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Figure 6.

Figure 5 is' a longitudinal section on the line 55 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a top view of the counting and measuring elements.

There is illustrated the essential elements of a mechanism adapted to be incorporated .as a part of the well known Brown bag filling machine, one form of which is represented in Patent No. 1,164,975. This prior machine includes means for presenting a bag in position to be filled, as at 10 and a funnel and bag opener 11 movable 'to open the bag and receive articles discharged from the measuring and delivering unit (guiding the articles into the bag); as well as a cam 12, and means to move it in synchronism with the bag presenting means and funnel, whereby to operate the measuring and delivery unit. In the present invention the form of the cam has been modified.- There is also involved in the regular machine means 13 to. agitate the contents of a hopper 14 to deliver such contents in orderly arrangement in the feed slot or channel of a chute.

The frame of the machine has been constructed to present two laterally spaced arms or small, large or fine articles and "materials 15 rearwardly of the bag 10 when in posi-i frames of the interchangeable units may be secured.

1 The present unit includes a frame bar 18 mounted on the arms 15, centrally of which bar there is an integral upwardly extended stud 19 having a circular or other enlargement at its upper end with a transverse bore and having a clamp face in a plane at right angles to this bore.

The attachable unit utilizes as a framing an elongated chute plate 20 which also forms a chute for articles being packaged. On the under side of this plate a reinforcing longitudinal rib 21 is formed and near the lower end of the. plate a lug 22 is formed, transversely bored and formed with a clamp face to fit that on the enlargement of the stud 19 and receive commonly therewith a bolt 23 whereby it may be secured adjustably at various inclinations, in pivotal movement, either for influencing the feed of articles, or for other purposes. This also provides a quick mounting for the unit so that it may be removed by loosening a single bolt, and another similar unit for larger or smaller articles mounted on the stud 19. The rear part of the plate may be supported by a bracket 24 extended from any suitable foundation, if desired.

The plate in the present instance is formed with two longitudinal channels 25 in its upper side opening through its lower end and stopping beneath the drum or hopper 14 in a suitable manner to receive articles to be packaged. The number of channels may be greater if desired, or one only may be employed, as will be understood hereinafter. The channels are rectangular in cross section, and for spherical-articles are preferably square in cross section, their upper sides being open flush with the top of the plate 20 as formed. They are closed as far as need be by a thin removable top plate 26 secured to the top of the plate 20 between the grooves and projecting over the grooves a distance beyond the middle parts thereof so as to leave only a narrow slot 27 open at the outer side of each groove. The plate 20 is broadened at its upper end slightly and has mounted thereon the hopper 14 arranged in any suitable manner. to feed articles to the grooves thereunder. An agitating means including a crank 29 operated by a link 30 from the rotating element 13 earlier referred to as a means for this purpose, may be employed. The plate 26 extends from the hopper to the lower end of the plate 20.

The plate 20 is broadened also for a distance near its lower end, to provide mounting lugs 31 on each side, and on these there are mounted bearings 32 in which a shaft 33 is rockable, projecting at the left endto permit mounting thereon of a wiper arm 34 having thereon a wiper 35 on the side toward the plate 20 and in a plane with the cam 12. A tension spring 36 is engaged with the arm 34'to hold the wiper firmly in bearing upon the cam. The shaft 33 is formed with a flat side. at the upper part upon which there are secured two spring stop devices 37, each in the form of a thin resilient plate planiform throughout its maor part and longitudinally slotted at the upper part for adjustment, receiving a clamping screw 38 therethrough engaged in the shaft 33. At their forward and lower ends the springslare narrowed to provide attenuated fingers 39 which are curved downward, and located so as to enter respective slots 27 obliquely to the plate 20.

Separately movable and .rockable on the shaft 33 there is a rocking frame 40 including side-bars 41 bored to receive the shaft and fixed in rigid mutual relation by a cross bar 42 secured thereto. In the outer ends of the side bars there is mounted for revoluble adjustment a shaft 43 with lower stop pins '44 slidably' inserted at right angles therethrough and alined with the slots 27 into which they enter when theframe is at the lower limit of its movement. The pins are secured in adjusted positions by set screws 45 engaged through the shaft 43, and the shaft is secured releasably against rotation by set screws 46 engaged in the upper sides of the bars 41. Intermediately of the outer side of the bar 41 at the left side a large wiper roller 47 is mounted, alined with the wiper 35 before mentioned, and with the cam 12. The frame 4O may be maintained in lowered position or engaged with the cam 12 by a spring 50 (Figureb). The cam 12 is formed with forward and rearward concentric parts 48-49, the first of lesser radius than the latter, and this cam is movable forwardly under the wiper 35 and wiper roller 47, beside the plate 20 as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5. The arrangement is such that in lowered position of the rocking frame 40 the roller 47 is not required to be supported by the cam, and that part which lifts the roller 47 supports the wiper 35 in its lower position.

Thus, while the cam is in its rearmost position, the wiper 47 is in advance of the part 48 of the cam, while the wiper 35 rests upon the part. 48 of the cam. In forward movement of the cam the higher part 49 first engages the wiper 35 moving it upwardly and forcing the fingers 39 into the slots 27, the roller 47 being lifted immediately afterward by the part 48 which lifts the frame 40 and the lower steps 44, thus permitting the articles in advance of the fingers to move from the channels. The movement of the cam being properly synchronized with the other elements of the filling machine, as indicated,

when the articles pass from the channels 25 the funnel 11 will bevin position thereunder and will direct the articles into the bag 10. Return of the cam 12 first drops the lower steps 44 and then, by permitting the wiper 35 to drop onto the lower part 48, causes the fingers 39 to rise, admitting the fresh charge to pass as far as the lower steps 44; the cycle being then repeated.

The construction and operation of the fingers 39 and the plate bodies thereof is such that when forced to their lowermost positions they may rest yieldingly upon pills or the like with a minimum liability of damage to the pills, and will hold them securely against. discharge movement in a satisfactory manner. The throw of the cam is for this reason more than sufficient to effect the desired movement when the fingers are extended the maximum distance from the shaft 33, and the fingers may be adjusted a considso as to move the lower ends of the pins inward along the channels or longitudinally outward as required. The pins may also be extended farther from the shaft Owing to the fact that in sampling small articles of considerable value it is frequently desired to include only one or two in a package, and at other times twenty-five or more, my invention is adapted to effect the counting of articles of uniform size and symmetrical form in answer to these requirements with a minimum of movement or mechanical parts engaging the articles to'be packaged, and a minimum degree of movement of the articles in hopper and measuring means, with a consequent increase of safety to the goods; reduction in power required to operate the machine, less material 1n the parts, fewer mechanical elements and reduced wear upon the articles themselves.

It should be particularly notedvthat by the particular manner of forming the channels, too, spherical elements will not be exposed to engagement with convex or angular surfaces while passing through the channels, excepting the stop devices, and this will eliminate chipping of coatings or impairment of finish to a large extent. The location of the slots 27 at the sides of the-chan nels instead of centrally, in addition to enabling the presentation of a flat surface over the channels also enables entry of the fingers and stop pins at the parts where they may be most readily accommodated between the pills or the like.

In order to ,efiect the counting and discharge of a lar e number of articles and still involve only t e same short movement of the stock at each discharge operation, it is only necessary to use a chute plate with a large number of channels, and duplicate the stop devices 37 and 44 correspondingly. The remaining parts will need no modification in this enlargement ofcapacity within reasonable limits, as will be appreciated.

I claim: I

1. In a measuring and delivering mechanism, a plate having a feed channel therein, a transverse rockable shaft on the-plate over the channel, a resilient finger slidably mounted on the shaft in line with and adjustable longitudinally of the channel and having an attenuated part to enter the channel at one position of the shaft, a separately rockable frame revolubly mounted on the shaft and having a stop positioned to enter the channelat one positlon of said frame, and means to rock the shaft and frame alternately.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the shaft is extended at one end, anarm thereon, a cam movable thereadjacent, a wiper on the arm engaging the cam, said cam being extended beside the said frame, and a wiper roller on the frame opposite the first named wiper to engage the cam, said cam having an advanced portion of lesser radius and a following part of greater radius and being movable to one extreme to receive and support the first named wiper-on the said advanced portion, said portion being of a radius to engage and raise the second wiper and said following part of the cam being positioned to subsequently engage the first named wiper and support the same during movement to an opposite extreme.

3. In a machine of the character described, a chute plate having a channel formed therein, with sides vertical to, and opening on, the surface of the plate, a top plate secured on the chute plate extending continuously with the channel and projected thereover from one side but stopping short of the opposite side to form a slot over the side of the channel, elements movable through said. slot and into the channel at the side for the purposes described, and operative means therefor.

4. In a machine of the character described, a chute plate having a plurality of parallel channels each formed with planiform sides,

closure means for the channelscomprising a plate of a width to project partly over two adjacent channels to provide observation-and entrance slots over each channel at one side, and alternately operative stop devices operative in the slots.

5. In a machine of the character described, a chute plate having a plurality of channels for movement of articles to be discharged in predetermined quantity, a rockable shaft mounted transverselyof the channels, re spective longitudinally adjustable fingers having attenuated ortions to enter the channels at one positlon of the shaft, means to rock the shaft, a separate rockable member including a part transverse to the channels' and provided with respective stops arranged and adapted to enter the channels at one position of this rockable member, and

means to operate the separate rockable member alternately with the shaft.

6. In a machine of the character described,

a feeding conduit for articles comprising a plate having a channel formed therein with a side vertical to the face of the plate in which the channel is formed, and a removable top plate secured on the first named late coextensive with the channel in len th and projected thereover from one side eyond the middle of the. channel stopping short of the opposite and firstnamed side,

whereby an observation slot is formed with out exposing articles thereinto engagement with convexities or singularities. 7 In a machine of the character described,

a channeled guide, a stop device comprising 20 a transverse shaft thereover, a rockable sup- I JOSEPH C. R WN. 

